The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of 6 parents who enrolled their elementary-aged children in a weekend private language program to learn Chinese in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Elementary age is the ideal age to begin foreign language learning to attain proficiency in adulthood…

In response to rapidly falling foreign language enrollments, the State University of New York College at New Paltz designed and actively promoted a language immersion program in the summer of 1981. The program consisted of instruction in twelve languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Russian,…

Approximately 83,000 students are taking Chinese language instruction in 634 Chinese heritage community language schools in the United States. These schools date to 1848 and serve immigrant groups wishing to preserve their heritage and promote children's ethnic identity. Both for-profit and non-profit Chinese language schools exist, the former…